Ozempic - For those of us a few months in

[Lndnmummy]

Hi all, thought I would create a designated space outside of the newbie zone for those of us who are in it for the long haul and are a few doses, stone, months down the road.

I've been researching it and I think QuickMeds are correct.

This FDA leaflet says:

1. Patients treated with RYBELSUS 14 mg daily can be transitioned to OZEMPIC subcutaneous injection 0.5 mg once weekly. Patients can start OZEMPIC the day after their last dose of RYBELSUS.

2. Patients treated with once weekly OZEMPIC 0.5 mg subcutaneous injection can be transitioned to RYBELSUS 7 mg or 14 mg. Patients can start RYBELSUS up to 7 days after their last injection of OZEMPIC. There is no equivalent dose of RYBELSUS for OZEMPIC 1 mg.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/213051s006lbl.pdf

Oh. Wow. Maybe you are meant to double the dose of tablets then?

I asked QuickMeds about taking two tablets a day and they said absolutely not, it was strictly once daily.

I have also just found this NICE guideline, which says: “Oral semaglutide 14 mg once daily is comparable to subcutaneous semaglutide 0.5 mg once weekly.”

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/semaglutide/

Interesting. I used MedicalWeightLoss4You to buy Ozempic for quite a while and their plans seem to indicate that the higher tablets are equivalent to the higher pens.

Okay, here's a wild question I need to know if it's a side effect or I am going mad?

I seem to keep smelling a strange buttery popcorn type smell off my hands? No matter how much I wash them??

Has anyone used Daily Chemist? It just seems a little dodgy and but can't put my finger on why.

They are legitimate in terms of them prescribing you an Ozempic pen. However, they were in the Guardian this week as they were one of a few pharmacies who sold a pen to a reporter with a BMI of 20.

I have just managed to source a pen from HealthExpress!

Thanks @greylad HealthExpress said out of stock.

I've just paid over the odds for 2 pens at Pharmacy Planet so I'll see if they arrive.

I'd be interested to know, I felt the site looked dodgy so didn't order from them but would be very happy to find out otherwise!

Quick meds have stock regularly. They normally update the website around 18.00. It's a fraught business but I got my 1 mg injection today. Hopefully they won't cancel the order!
I spoke to the pharmacist at Quick meds who said that the side effects were higher on Reyblus and also the absorption meant that doubling the dose was a very bad idea. He did go into liver etc but I'd switched off by then!

I see the prices are going up everywhere!

Oh yeah, quickmeds up £35! Juniper on 195 looking more reasonable now.

I’ve got two full pens in the fridge now so fingers crossed I only have to buy two more and I’ll be at target weight.

Except juniper £295 now, and they make it last 40 days instead of 28!

only for new members. I have a subscription I keep delaying the actual delivery on to keep it active just in case.

I had 1 ozempic pen in my basket from quick meds from yesterday at 149.
Out of curiosity I just went and it was still there, I ordered it and it went through at that price although they are saying no stock. I am 1lb away from goal, I started on saxenda in November and I have lost 3st since.
I am going to titrate down now, and hoping for the best for no weight regain.

First stone lost! Six weeks in. Following guidelines so have just had my second 0.5mg dose. (Got all six weeks from a 0.25mg pen so that is good).

Have a 0.5mg pen ready. Hoping to do four weeks on that, so six weeks on 0.5mg, before moving to 1mg since stock issues seem ongoing.

Well done @TheGoodEnoughWife it's a nice milestone to hit.

That's me completed week 13 and I'm 18lbs down. Other than DP no one had noticed or commented I'd lost weight but this week 2 people remarked I looked well.

I'm still on 0.5mg and happy to stay there. Hopefully everyone manages to get a hold of a pen, stock issues are concerning. I'm with Manual and saw from another poster they have cancelled their subscription due to the stock issues. I'm due to renew on Friday next week so anticipating they may do the same to me.

With all the shortages I'm contemplating staying on 0,5 a bit longer, just started week 5 on 0,5 and so far so good, no noticeable drop in effectiveness yet. Anyone else doing this? Or is this a mistake?

I think it's very sensible to stay on the lowest effective dose for as long as possible. I've been on Ozempic a long time and have lost a lot of weight and I have never gone above 1mg. In fact recently I've dropped down to 0.75 once a week and it seems to be just as effective for me.

What price do the 14mg tablets come in at does anyone know. I'm thinking of transitioning onto them once I get to target weight. I'm guessing and hoping that they will be cheaper.

Ps has ozempic affected anyone's period? I'm ten days late,bloated and agony boobs. I'm 51 and peri, usually like clockwork,went up to 0.5 this month x

I know I'm a newbie so apologies but do any of you have autoimmune disease and use this successfully?

@VanellopeVonSchweetz99 Yes, I'm still on 0.5 after 11 weeks.If you do a search in this group for my name, I've posted about my experience before.

Tablets are more expensive, I remember it was 145 for a month supply from health express. While with the pen you can use it up to 8 weeks

Athena51 and mumwheresmyribena many thanks for the reassurance. It's been very effective for me so far, so would be fantastic if I could stay on a lower dose.

Weighed in today - I'm now ten weeks in and have lost 25lb. I'm still on 0.5 and haven't yet needed to move up. I use a 1mg pen and count clicks for best value.

Here are my thoughts on the last ten weeks:

For the most part, I have no side effects anymore. Very occasional nausea. I need to make sure I take my psyllium husk daily but I've only very rarely needed proper laxatives. I do get tired at times but I'm sleeping well at night and it is manageable.

I aim for minimal carbs in my day but am not totally adverse to them. I've had pizza, burgers etc as part of my diet. I've socialised. I can drink but I don't particularly fell the need to.

I just cannot binge anymore at all. I'm not constantly consumed by where my next meal is coming from and what it will be. I'd like to get to a point where I don't track my food at all, but I need to currently to keep an eye on my protein intake.

I'm hoping to increase my exercise this week. I've been focusing on daily steps until now.

I've 2 stone still to lose to get to my first goal. I'd like to have the chunk of that off before the summer holidays and that feels really doable.

I am really happy with my progress and so pleased I tried this.